Thank you for your interest in the position of Advanced Nurse Practitioner / Acute Primary Care Practitioner at Leatside Surgery, Totnes.

The coming years in general practice will provide an exciting and challenging time and we are looking for someone who can meet these challenges and take Leatside Surgery forward whilst maintaining our high clinical standards.

In 2015 we expanded our clinical team with the introduction of an in-house clinical pharmacist to support our GPs and nursing team in chronic disease management. We are now looking to expand our team further with the introduction of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner / Acute Primary Care Practitioner to work alongside our Duty Doctors in the assessment and treatment of patients with acute presentations.

Please find enclosed some information about the practice, the role within the practice and the type of person we are looking for. If you are highly motivated and able to promote a positive and productive team spirit then we look forward to receiving your application and meeting you.

To apply please send your CV along with a covering letter detailing the reasons you believe you are suitable for the role either by email to Martin Randall or or by post to Leatside Surgery, Babbage Road, Totnes Devon TQ9 5JA The closing date for applications is Friday 24th November 2017, with interviews in the first week of December.

About Leatside Surgery

Location

The practice is located in the market town of Totnes, a flourishing semi-rural town with excellent shops, schools and cultural outlets which combine with a friendly atmosphere and beautiful countryside to make this a wonderful place to live and work.

Totnes is well serviced by road and rail, with easy access to the A38, Plymouth, Exeter,Dartmoor, the South Hams and the coast a few miles away.

The Practice

Leatside is a purpose built surgery originally built in 1999, but extensively refurbished and extended to double its size in 2012 a refurbished reception area was created in 2016.

The practice has a current list size of 14,700 and provides medical care for a number of local residential homes as well as our superb purpose built 18 bedded Community Hospital.

We are a forward-thinkingtraining practice providing education for medical students, F2 Doctors, GP Registrars and student nurses.

We are fully computerized using Emis web as our clinical system.

The Practice was rated “Outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission in December 2015. Read the CQC’s report here.

The Doctors

We have nine GP Partners

Staff

Leatside has a great team of staff and attached health care professionals. We have an administrative team of 18 staff including our reception/administration staff and secretaries.

We have a full time in house clinical pharmacist who works alongside both the GP and nursing team with in areas such as medicines management and respiratory illness.

We have five practice nurses and four health care assistants.

The practice also provides accommodation for the community nursing team and complex care coordinator as well as Devon Partnership NHS Mental HealthTrust.

Organisational Structure

Further information can be found on our website

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONER / ACUTE PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONER

REPORTS TO:THE PARTNERS (Clinically)

THE GENERAL MANAGER (Administratively)

HOURS:FULL TIME

Job Summary:

Responsible for attending to patients who wish to be seen by a health care professional; diagnosing and treating patients presenting with minor illness/injury, seeing and advising people in respect of their continuing medical and nursing needs. The nurse practitioner will need to prioritise and triage the needs of patients accordingly making any necessary referrals for investigations in the appropriate manner. The nurse practitioner will predominantly work alongside the duty doctor. This will include telephone consultations as well as face to face appointments. Patients with problems needing referral to secondary care should be discussed with the registered GP before making such referral.

Job Responsibilities:

Diagnosing and treating patients presenting with minor illness/injury

  • Making professional autonomous decisions within the boundaries of competence and acknowledge limitations.
  • Triage and treat patients wishing to see a health care professional making any necessary referrals to other members of the primary health care team
  • Screen patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness
  • Make assessment of health care needs based on advanced nursing knowledge and skills
  • Make differential diagnosis using decision making and problem solving skills
  • Develop, with the patient, an ongoing care plan for health with the emphasis on preventative measures.
  • Order necessary investigations and provide treatment and care both individually and as part of a team and through referral to other agencies
  • Provide a supportive role in helping people to manage and live with illness
  • Provide counselling and health education
  • Has authority to refer patients to other health care providers as appropriate
  • Work collaboratively with other health care professionals and disciplines
  • Provide leadership as required
  • Carry out and assist with practice nurse duties when required
  • Prescribe medications where clinically indicated

Pathological specimens and investigatory procedures

  • Undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs etc. Perform investigatory procedures requested by the GPs

Administration and professional responsibilities

  • Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the Practice team
  • Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes
  • Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date with accurate details recorded and amended
  • Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the Practice
  • Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports and audit as well as Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
  • Attend and participate in Practice meetings as required
  • Restocking and maintenance of clinical areas and consulting rooms

Supplies and equipment

  • Maintenance of equipment and stock relating to patient care

Training and personal development

  • Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with Practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the Practice. It is the individuals’ responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.
  • Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the introduction of all members of the Practice staff where appropriate
  • Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development ensuring PREP requirements are met.
  • If it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given.
  • Develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan

Liaison

  • As well as the duty doctor there is a need to work closely with the clinical Pharmacist, nursing team and reception to ensure the smooth running of the Practice, reporting any problems encountered to the relevant person and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the Practice team.
  • There is also the need to establish and maintain good liaison with other surgeries and agencies including secondary care

Meetings

  • It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various Practice meetings as requested. The only reason for not attending will be annual, study or sick leave.

Confidentiality:

  • In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
  • In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
  • Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

  • Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
  • Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
  • Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
  • Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
  • Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

  • Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
  • Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
  • Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

  • Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
  • Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

  • Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
  • Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
  • Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance
  • Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
  • Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

  • Communicate effectively with other team members
  • Communicate effectively with patients and carers
  • Recognize people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

  • Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance
  • Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
  • Participate in audit where appropriate
  • Maintain professional registration and meet mandatory training requirements
  • Data recording as required by QOF
  • Work with entire Practice team in order to maintain our Outstanding CQC rating

Principal Contract Terms

Annual Salary dependent on qualifications and experience.

This salary will be based on an expected working week of 37.5 hours.

Annual leave entitlement will be in line with agenda for change.

There will be the opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme.

There will be a mutual assessment period of six months with regular reviews during this time.

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